Note that male and female flowers grow on the same vine, but male blooms appear first. Until both are present and the females are pollinated, there will be no fruit.

To show your kids the difference between the two: The male blossom sits on a slender stalk, and the center stamen within the bloom contains the pollen. Mature pollen is yellow and rubs off on your finger. The female flower sits closer to the vine and has a swollen embryonic fruit at the base.

Both male and female blooms are open and fertile during the morning hours of one day. Bees or other insects transfer the pollen, so avoid pesticides.

You also can transfer pollen with an artist's paintbrush or Q-tip from the stamen to the stigma. Or remove the stamen and rub the pollen on the stigma.

An unfertilized female flower will close and, in a few days, drop to the ground. The male bloom may open a second day, but the pollen will no longer be fertile, and the blossom will close, wilt and drop from the plant.